Parting
by Badgergater
Summary: Leaving is difficult, especially for those who don't understand


Parting

By Badgergater

Season 3, Ep 23, Deus Ex Machina (Written before seeing S4 spoilers)

Author's Note: Thanks to Corine for the gift of POI and Scully for the beta.

Something was terribly wrong; I knew it the moment my humans entered the musty papers building.

I am very good at understanding them. I can sense their emotions. Sometimes I've sensed worry, sometimes satisfaction, sometimes hurry or hurt, and sometimes I've sensed fear - not for themselves but for others.

But this time, both Tall Man and Crooked Walk exuded 'bad things happening', _hurryhurryhurry_ in ways so sharp and intense that it made my nose hurt and my nerves jangle. I wanted to bark out my distress and _runrunrun_.

It made me want to protect them. If only I knew what terrible thing threatened them I would bite it - rip it to shreds like the musty paper things Crooked Walk loves so much.

Tall Man was distracted and didn't react to my low whine. I know I shouldn't make that sound, but my distress was so strong I had to give voice to it. I stood by his side, pushing as close against his legs as I could, but he didn't reach down to stroke my fur or soothe me. Instead he brusquely ordered me, "Down, Bear."

I went to my bed, tail tucked between my legs, but even from a distance his palpable distress raised my own to new heights.

Things were _wrongwrongwrong_. Crooked Walk was _hurthurthurt_, the smell of blood so strong it all but overwhelmed the other scents in the room. Tall Man was angry - that scent I know well from him - but he was worried, too.

I could feel his nerves slowly settling back as he talked to Crooked Walk but then a change happened.

The little talking box made noises like the voice of the Strange Lady, and both of my humans started moving in jerky, frantic ways. Tall Man was throwing some of the musty paper and leather things on the floor, the very thing Crooked Walk yells at me for doing. But Crooked Walk didn't yell at Tall Man. He was busy making the fast sharp sounds with his fingers on the funny little table - _clickity clickity clickity_. Both of them wafted the scent of _hastehastehaste_. Move_ quickquickquick_. Angry Tall Man. Worried Crooked Walk.

Bad things happening - the very air screamed those words to me.

My humans were so busy and distracted that I was afraid they would forget to take me with them. Sometimes when they did the _hurryhurry _thing they left me behind, but not this time.

So I got to go with them but something bad still happened. It was Crooked Walk who took hold of my leash, _hurthurthurt_ still radiating from him. I pinned my ears back and walked slowly beside him as we left the musty papers place, careful not to bump against him and make the hurt worse.

We walked a short ways all together, Tall Man and Crooked Walk and me, a thing that normally means _happyhappy_ for me, but this time no one was happy. Their _hastehaste worryworry sadsad_ overwhelmed me.

And then - without petting me or telling me to be a good dog or to take care of Crooked Walk - Tall Man turned one way and Crooked Walk and I went another. I kept looking back at Tall Man, knowing he didn't want to go, that he was _worryworry sadsad_ _angryangry_, but he went away anyway. Maybe Tall Man had work to do - that sometimes meant he went away without me - but I don't think that's what it was. Tall Man likes work, but whatever this was he didn't like it. Not at all.

But I am a good dog and I know my job, even when I don't want to be a good dog and leave one of my humans behind. So I kept pace beside Crooked Walk, who was breathing sharp and hard. I knew he needed me. I brushed my head against his hand to reassure him that I was there but he didn't notice.

Crooked Walk and I walked a long ways, past the places we sometimes stop, places that usually make Crooked Walk happy. We didn't go to the park. We didn't go to Tall Man's den or Crooked Walk's den or even back to the place of musty papers.

We went away, to a new den, for days and days and too many days.

I don't like away; I especially don't like away from Tall Man.

Crooked Walk has bought me a new bed and new toys and the food I like best, and sometimes he even still gives me treats. But it isn't the same. Tall Man never comes to visit or to take me to the park or to his den or for long long walks in the night. And Crooked Walk isn't happy. His scent still says _worryworry_ and bad things happening and _sadsadlonelysad_.

I miss Tall Man. I miss Short Woman and Strange Lady and Round Man and his boy who likes to play catch with me.

Things have changed. I still try to be a good dog, because I hope someday all my humans will return. But like Crooked Walk, I am _sadsadlonelysad._

2


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